LPN Duties in AZ

West Valley · Nov 13, 2007

Ok so there are no LPN's in AZ?!

Come on guys work with me....

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2007

I was an LPN in AZ for eight years. I worked LTC, hospice, rehab, and home care.

I worked under the supervision of an RN- even though the RNs were not physically with me most of the time, I still worked under their supervision. I mostly passed meds, did tx, physical assessments and care plans (RN had to co-sign). I took an initiating IV therapy for LPNs course, so I could start IVs, and did blood draws. I did some phone triage.

A lot of the actual tasks I did as an LPN are similar to tasks an RN does. However, I've been an RN for seven years now, and it is really different from being an LPN.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Nov 13, 2007

Ok so there are no LPN's in AZ?!
Come on guys work with me....

It's just that the Az board can be kinda slow-that's all. I'm sure there are lots of LPNs here!

sassiebaz · Nov 13, 2007

There is a section on this site specifically for LPN's. Go to the first link at the top of the page that says "allnurses.com Nursing for Nurses" click on it and scroll down to the LPN title.....I was originally going the same route you talked about. I actually was set to start the Oct. class but due to personal circumstances I couldn't and now I have changed my mind all together. Im going straight for my RN as I feel the work as an LPN is not what I would be happy doing. You are very limited here in AZ as to where you can work and what your scope of practice is. You can PM me if you want more info.....

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 23, 2007

I work as an LPN in a hospital. We pretty much do everything the nurses do except for the IV pushes. When we get a new admit, we do the initial assessment, then the RN that we are working with will sign off on it. We also start IV's and hang fluids. All IV hung meds also have to be signed of by an RN. It's great experience!

As far as the hospital setting is concerned, there is a large difference between what LPN's can do at different facilities. I have a friend that works at another hospital, and she had to be IV certified before she could start IV's or hand fluids.

IMHO, if you go the LPN schooling route first, be certain to focus on assessment skills. A co-worker (tech) is in an LPN only program and he is continually telling me that LPN's never assess or come up with care plans. As an LPN in the hospital you will be expected to perform full head to toe assessments and create nursing diagnosis and care plans. An RN will sign off on them, of course, but these will be necessary skills.

Hopefully this helps!

CrazyPremed

sassiebaz · Nov 25, 2007

I work as an LPN in a hospital. We pretty much do everything the nurses do except for the IV pushes. When we get a new admit, we do the initial assessment, then the RN that we are working with will sign off on it. We also start IV's and hang fluids. All IV hung meds also have to be signed of by an RN. It's great experience!
As far as the hospital setting is concerned, there is a large difference between what LPN's can do at different facilities. I have a friend that works at another hospital, and she had to be IV certified before she could start IV's or hand fluids.
IMHO, if you go the LPN schooling route first, be certain to focus on assessment skills. A co-worker (tech) is in an LPN only program and he is continually telling me that LPN's never assess or come up with care plans. As an LPN in the hospital you will be expected to perform full head to toe assessments and create nursing diagnosis and care plans. An RN will sign off on them, of course, but these will be necessary skills.
Hopefully this helps!
CrazyPremed

Not sure what school your friend is attending but at Maricopa skills center you will have to pick a patient the day before clinicals and you will be doing care plans. I am looking forward to learning about that as I progress to my RN program in the future it will be great to have that under my belt!

AZ Nurse · Dec 4, 2007

By the State Board here in Arizona the LPN does not "assess". They "gather data". They are also not able to be responsible for the plan of care. I am stating what the Board says. The LPN can do a head to toe physical assessment but does not assess in the manner in which the Board looks at the word - incorporating all data (labs, radiology, physical assessment, meds, history and DCP). Also - by State Board...the RN is to do and document the initial physical assessment on the newly admitted patient. For those of you who are doing it as an LPN I would take a moment and call one of the people down at the Board and confirm you are not practicing outside of your scope.

As far as IV medications...If the LPN has taken the additional IV medication course they can then hang (to peripheral & midlines) pre-mixed IV medications (IVPBs, IV fluids w meds in them). They can't hang anything to central lines (PICCs or any other central lines), no TPN, lipids, cytoxic drugs , K riders, heparin wt based adjustments, blood products or anything that takes close RN monitoring. As stated by someone else....they can't do IV push medications either. You can get all this information on the Board webiste www.azbn.gov . Click on the resources tab then click on advisory opinions. There is one on Supervision of the LPN by the Professional Nurse (board language for RN) and one on Intravenous Therapy by the LPN.

arual56 · Feb 4, 2008

I tested out of my RN program after the first two blocks so that I would be able to work as an LPN for the last two blocks. I worked in the ER at one of the hospitals here in Tucson. Predominately, I was allowed to operate and function in one of two capacities in the ER. I either helped out in triaging people in Triage, (all but the initial assessment) or I ran the fast track area caring for patients who did not have a high acuity, most of the time. The level of acuity depended significantly on who was running triage since I periodically did get patients who ultimately ended up having heart attacks, peritonsilar abcesses, hot appy, etc. Thankfully, that wasn't too often. The days were twelve hours long and remarkably fullfilling. I was able to give IM injections, start IV's, administer PO meds, perform dressing changes, apply splints, assist with casting, and the most important, relaying information to the doctors that may not have been caught in triage or did not become evident until the pt was in the fast track area. I caught a few pts that should have been placed with an RN in the ACL section, but were mis-triaged. Every day was new, and every day brought new challenges and lessons. How the average day went depended a great deal on the day. If we were holding pts, I might be the only nurse that day that was moving patients. If it was slow, you found that a lot of your patients were much more willing to be pleasant even when they didn't feel well. I would encourage any nursing student to take the interm step. You learn and experience so much more than if you remain working as a CNA or TECH, and when you ask questions about the patients, the other nurses are not as inclined to tell you that the information/procedure is out of your scope. They are often more willing to explain and take the opportunity to teach.

tferdaise · Feb 12, 2008

LPN can hang K riders as long as they come in a pre-packaged bag and the said LPN has taken the IV therapy class.

BTW, AZ and TX are compact states, in TX LPN can access PICC, port-a-cath, push IV medication except cardiac meds, but as soon as the LPN comes to AZ that is taken away from them... I wonder when the AZSBN well lighten up on some of the rules for the LPNs...

By the State Board here in Arizona the LPN does not "assess". They "gather data". They are also not able to be responsible for the plan of care. I am stating what the Board says. The LPN can do a head to toe physical assessment but does not assess in the manner in which the Board looks at the word - incorporating all data (labs, radiology, physical assessment, meds, history and DCP). Also - by State Board...the RN is to do and document the initial physical assessment on the newly admitted patient. For those of you who are doing it as an LPN I would take a moment and call one of the people down at the Board and confirm you are not practicing outside of your scope.
As far as IV medications...If the LPN has taken the additional IV medication course they can then hang (to peripheral & midlines) pre-mixed IV medications (IVPBs, IV fluids w meds in them). They can't hang anything to central lines (PICCs or any other central lines), no TPN, lipids, cytoxic drugs , K riders, heparin wt based adjustments, blood products or anything that takes close RN monitoring. As stated by someone else....they can't do IV push medications either. You can get all this information on the Board webiste www.azbn.gov . Click on the resources tab then click on advisory opinions. There is one on Supervision of the LPN by the Professional Nurse (board language for RN) and one on Intravenous Therapy by the LPN.

ravenlpn · Aug 18, 2011

Actually az nurse is wrong. According to the az state board of nursing, The following basic competencies are within the scope of practice for an LPN as long as they recieve training in their core curriculum or corse of instruction and are validated by the employer as competent. Addition of un-medicated and medicated IV solution to existing peripheral-short and peripheral midline, and peripheral inserted central catheters.